Photo source: Marketing Dive
A question is pulled from the claw machine, Chiney Ogwumike gives her answer, then picks up a ball and tries to score in a miniature basket. That was the rhythm of Ask Me Anything: Claw Edition, an activation launched by Kia during this year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend.
The WNBA player and ESPN analyst answered questions previously submitted by Reddit users. Instead of the traditional AMA format, in which a guest writes live responses in the comments, the questions were selected in advance and placed inside a Kia-branded claw machine.
After each answer, Ogwumike took a shot at the basket. Every successful attempt increased the amount allocated to One Warm Coat, an organization that provides warm clothing to people in need. The activation concluded with a donation of $20,000.
In its first 72 hours, the video generated 61,000 views on Reddit. According to the available information, it was the first video AMA by an automotive brand to be produced during WNBA All-Star Weekend.
The activation was part of Kia’s broader presence at the event. The brand also participated in the WNBA Live fan festival, while its partnership with the league gave it greater access to players and other talent for content series such as Inside a Kia.
That presence resulted from the renewed partnership agreement that Kia signed with the WNBA and NBA last year. The new arrangement expanded the brand’s investment in women’s basketball and created more room for content that goes beyond a traditional sponsorship logo.
For Reddit, the project demonstrated how one of the platform’s best-known formats can be adapted to advertisers’ needs. AMA has been popular among users since the beginning of the previous decade, but its open and unpredictable nature often presents a challenge for brands seeking greater control over their message.
In this case, the pre-screened questions gave the brand more control, while Ogwumike’s answers and shots maintained the format’s momentum. Reddit’s AMA was therefore given an execution adapted to the event, the sport and the audience Kia wanted to engage.
